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  Her forehead scrunched up. What was he talking about? Another option?

  “You can find a place here, keep working, and wait for me to turn eighteen. Then we can leave together. I’m sure I could find you someone to stay with.” He drew his lower lip between his teeth while he waited for Maddy to respond.

  Was he serious? He had to be joking. She worked her ass off for the last three years to save money so she could go away to college.

  “As much as I appreciate the offer, Mike, I can’t. I’d lose everything I worked so hard for if I let my fears take over. You’re right, I can do this, and I’m stronger than I think.”

  An emotion she couldn’t identify flickered across his face before it disappeared. “I want you to know you have more options than school.”

  Mike had pursued her with a persistence that was flattering and a little scary. She’d tried to give him a chance, but she felt nothing. No spark. It hadn’t been right to lead him on.

  When she told him she just wanted to be friends, he protested but, in the end, went along with her decision.

  With sad eyes, she lifted her hand to his cheek. “You’re so sweet to suggest that, but I’d lose my grant and my apartment. I had a moment of weakness. I’m fine now, thanks to you. Now, I need to get downstairs. Mrs. Jones will be here any minute.”

  She glances around the small room once more to make sure she packed everything. Despite her fear of leaving, there were no feelings of sadness. She had gone through hell here. She never got along with the other girls, and the whole time she lived here, they bullied her mercilessly.

  Now, she was finally leaving it all behind.

  “Well, that’s everything,” she said with a huff.

  “Wait, Maddy.” Mike stopped her when she tried to stand. “I need to tell you something.”

  Disquiet rolled through her, worried he’d try again to talk her into staying. She didn’t want to end their friendship with a fight.

  He lifted her hand. “I know we agreed to just be friends, that you were leaving, but I need you to know I have strong feelings for you.”

  “Mike…” Maddy pulled away from him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Mike, we can’t get involved.” She shook her head. “I’m leaving for college today.”

  His blue eyes burned with passion. “So what if you’re going? It’s called a long-distance relationship. We’ll call each other every night.”

  “I don’t even have a phone,” she protested, trying to figure out how to dodge this without hurting him again.

  “You’ll get one. Shit, I’ll buy you one.” He leaned forward, and she quickly turned her head so his kiss landed on her cheek. “It will work. You’ll see. You will call me once you’re settled at your new place.”

  Without waiting for a response, Mike picked up her large duffel bag, which held all of her possessions. It was a little sad everything she owned fit in it, but at least it wasn’t the trash bag she arrived with.

  “I can get that,” she protested.

  He scowled down at her. “Your collarbone is still healing.”

  “Doctor said it’s fine now,” she reminded him but didn’t take the bag. If he wanted to carry it, she was happy to let him. While it was healed, it still pained her some.

  Her broken collarbone was actually what brought them together as friends. A new guy at the home, Ben, had cornered her in the pantry. She tried to fight him off, and he’d broken her collarbone. It wasn’t the first fight she’d been in, but it had been the scariest of her life. Mike was the one who pulled Ben off of her, then beat Ben so hard he ended up in the hospital.

  Mike had a temper, but she owed him for saving her. Sometimes, he flew into a fit of rage over something small, or grabbed her a little too hard, but then he was sweet again, like bringing her a cinnamon roll for her birthday and carrying her bag. He’d been there through her recovery and helped her work through what happened.

  As Mike walked out of her room, she grabbed her cinnamon roll. No way she’d forget that.

  When she stepped into the hall, she found Mike standing near the door that separated the girls’ side of the dorm from the boys. At night, they locked it to prevent the hormone driven teenagers from sneaking into each other’s rooms, but the flimsy barrier stopped no one.

  He spoke quietly to one of the new kids, who nodded. They shook hands before the kid scurried away, and Mike slipped his hand into his pocket before he turned and headed toward the stairs. Yet another reason she couldn’t be with Mike. She wanted a better future for herself, while he was happy being a drug dealer.

  Maddy glanced around as they walked. No one else waited in the hall, not a single one of her housemates coming to see her off. Not that she expected anything else.

  When they passed the bathroom she shared with the other girls, she sneezed. It still reeked of too much perfume and made Maddy’s nose itch every time she was near it. Ms. Reynold had lied the first day she arrived here. The other girls weren’t nice, and Maddy would be happy to finally be away from them, even if leaving the group home scared her.

  Munching on her cinnamon roll, Maddy studied Mike’s stiff back. “Hey, are you still planning to work as a mechanic when you get out?”

  When Mike and Maddy first became friends, he had no real plans for what he wanted to do once he turned eighteen, or how he would live and eat. Maddy had watched so many kids walk out the doors of Wings of Refuge and seen the pure panic on their faces when they realized they had nowhere to go.

  Mike shook his head without looking back. “Maybe, but mechanics don’t make enough. I think I have a better idea, but I want to wait and see if it pans out before I tell you.”

  Maddy sighed with relief. Mike sometimes scared her, but she still worried about what would happen to him once he aged out of the system. She worried he’d be swept up in a gang like Ryan was, and he’d be killed the same way. In the group home, everyone acted tough until they strode through those doors for the last time. Then, they were left shitting their pants, with nowhere to go and easy picking for the gangs to pick up.

  She would have been the same way if not for Mrs. Jones. When Maddy had told Ryan she wanted to get a job so she could start saving for their apartment, Ryan had introduced her to Mrs. Jones, the spunky old lady who ran Crumbs Bakery. She put Maddy on the path of planning her future. Mrs. Jones gave her a job at her bakery, and Maddy landed herself a fake ID and found a second job at night working at a gas station, which Ryan and she had fought about. But she’d insisted and managed to save every dime for the last three years.

  She kept her grades up, too, because the one thing she had going for her was her brain. Senior year of high school, she gained a full scholarship to Lockhaven University and applied for grants for orphaned kids that would pay for her housing.

  After a quick swing by the kitchen to drop off her plate, they proceeded through the living room. Little had changed since she first walked in all those years ago. The same flowery couch, now broken in the center. The once white walls now more yellowish, and a board now covered the fireplace by the door, nailed there after someone tried to start a fire in it a few years back. Black soot still ran up the front of the mantel. Stupid idiots almost set fire to the whole place that night.

  Some kids who lived at Wings of Refuge hung out there, but not one person was there to say happy birthday or goodbye. Maddy let out a chuckle, not sure why she expected anything else.

  Fuck them.

  Ms. Reynolds, who ran Wings of Refuge, sashayed into the room. “Wait, Miss Walsh, I have paperwork for you to sign.” She handed Maddy a folder. “Sign the acknowledgment inside.”

  Maddy flipped the folder open. The paper on top stated she was leaving Wings of Refuge and that she knew she couldn’t return. She took the pen Ms. Reynolds held out and quickly signed on the line at the bottom.

  Ms. Reynolds snatched the paper out of the folder, leaving Maddy with the rest of the paperwork. “The folder has the addresses of the loca
l shelters and soup kitchen, as well as directions to a job placement agency.”

  Ms. Reynolds was giving Maddy the bare minimum, assuming she’d fail like so many other kids had before her and driving it home that Wings of Refuge wouldn’t care. She was a bitter old woman and had been since the day Maddy arrived, terrified and sick to her stomach after aging out of the comforting home Little Tikes Orphanage had offered her until she turned fourteen.

  As she turned to leave, Maddy gave her a cheeky smile. “I’ll miss you the most, Ms. Reynolds.”

  The full-figured older woman glanced back with a sneer. “I won’t miss you one damn bit. I’m glad you’re gone. You’ve been a pain in the ass since the day you got dropped off.”

  Maddy scratched her temple with her middle figure. “Huh, I thought we had such a good relationship. Are you telling me we aren’t going to correspond when I get to college?”

  Mike, standing beside her, tried not to laugh but failed horribly.

  “I’ve lost three good employees since you arrived. Beth started drinking the day you came here, Maryann quit the day you came to the big house, and Linda is now in an intuition thinking people are after her,” Ms. Reynolds seethed.

  Maddy’s hands moved to her hips. “You have no right to blame me for your employee problems. Maybe you should look at the condition your employees work under.”

  “You’re a good for nothing who’ll end up whoring on the street.”

  Mike put an arm around Maddy and pulled her toward the door. “That’s enough.”

  Maddy glared over Mike’s shoulder. “You’re a shriveled old hag who gets off on tormenting defenseless kids.”

  Ms. Reynolds’ whole body shook, her hands balling into fists. Steam should have come pouring out of her ears with how red her face turned. “Get out! If I ever see you near here again, I’ll call the cops!”

  Walking out the door, a sense of relief washed over Maddy.

  The screen door slammed shut, and they made their way over the minefield of a porch, filled with so many holes they had to play hopscotch to make it across.

  She still didn’t understand why the state kept the group home open. It was falling down around them. The roof was missing shingles, and every time they got a good rain, it leaked so much they had to pull out buckets to catch all the water. Only one blue shutter remained on the windows, hanging on by two nails.

  Mike squeezed her. “Things will be so boring around here without you.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll find someone else to fill your time within two minutes. Like Renee,” Maddy joked.

  “Why the hell would you say something like that, Maddy? You know how I feel about you.” He grabbed her arm, his fingers pinching her bicep. “I told you how things are going to be. You better not find someone else! You’re mine,” he whispered that last part so low she wasn’t sure if she heard him correctly. “I’m out of here soon. Make sure you call me once you’re all moved in.”

  A shiver ran through Maddy’s body, and she was glad soon there would be a thousand miles between them.

  A car door slammed, and Maddy glanced to the driveway where Mrs. Jones’ car waited. Maddy’s chest warmed. Mrs. Jones took a risk on her when no one else would and gave Maddy a job and a chance to save for when she left Wings of Refuge. Over the years, the elderly woman became like family to her.

  As they continued down the slanted steps to meet Mrs. Jones, Mike tried to take her hand but she pulled away. He gave her a sideways glare and draped an arm around her shoulders instead.

  Maddy gestured to him. “Mrs. Jones, this is Mike, the one I’ve talked about.”

  His anger eased, replaced by a cocky smile. “You were talking about me, huh?”

  Hold tightening on Maddy, he kissed the top of her head.

  Her whole face heated, uncomfortable with the display in front of Mrs. Jones. “Mike, this is Mrs. Jones, she’s the closest thing I have to family.”

  Mrs. Jones gave him a hard once over, her usually gentle face inscrutable. “Nice to meet you, Mike. If you would put Maddy’s bag in the back for me?”

  She motioned to her old car, and Mike swaggered over to it, throwing Maddy’s bag in without regard for anything breakable inside.

  When he returned, his arms opened like he wanted to embrace Maddy, and she dodged out of the way. “Bye, Mike.”

  He scowled. “See you soon, Maddy.”

  Maddy hurried to climb into the car and fastened her seatbelt while Mrs. Jones slid behind the steering wheel. As soon as their doors shut, the older woman turned to Maddy, her expression fierce. “He’s a hoodlum! Wouldn’t look me in the eye. He’s no good, Maddy.”

  Maddy threw up her arms. “Come on, Mrs. Jones, you spent twenty seconds with him. He’s protected me from the bullies. He can’t be all bad.”

  The elderly woman let out a deep sigh as she started the car. “He’s up to no good, Maddy, that I can promise you. I’m just glad you didn’t change your mind about school because of him.”

  Maddy quieted, not wanting to admit Mike tried to convince her to stay. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Jones, I know I have no future here.”

  She turned to look back out the window at Mike. He sure was acting off today. Very demanding. It wasn’t the first time, either. Maddy started noticing changes in him over the past few weeks.

  Mrs. Jones’ expression softened. “You get everything you need, sweetheart?”

  “Yes. Didn’t have much to begin with. Thank you once again for taking me to the bus station. I hate that you closed the bakery for me.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing.” Slowly, she backed out of the driveway. “You’re like a daughter to me. Are you sure you want to leave a week before school starts? You know you can stay with me.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I have to work in the cafeteria this week, and orientation is on Friday.” Maddy stared out the window as the old farmhouse grew smaller. “I’m sure I’ll have tons of things to clean in my apartment, too.”

  “If you’re certain. The one good thing is it will get you away from that no-good hoodlum.”

  Maddy rolled her eyes and looked out the window. Everything she was used to was about to change.

  As Mrs. Jones pulled into the bus station and found somewhere to park, Maddy let out a deep breath.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart, you’ll be just fine. There are thousands of kids leaving what they knew to go away to college. If anyone’s a survivor, it’s you. Oh, before I forget.” She reaches into the glove compartment and pulls out an envelope, handing it to Maddy. “This came for you the other day. It’s the card you ordered, so you can access your funds from Georgia.”

  In the beginning, Maddy tried keeping her wages in her room, but someone stole it the first month. After she told Mrs. Jones about it, she came up with a solution.

  The following Saturday, she took Maddy to the local bank, and they opened a savings account with Mrs. Jones’s and Maddy’s names on it since Maddy was still a minor. Maddy got Mr. Chen, the gas station owner where Maddy worked a second part-time job, to direct deposit his checks, and every Saturday, she strolled to the bank to deposit Mrs. Jones’s cash.

  A few days ago, she asked the bank to send her a card and mail to Mrs. Jones’s address.

  The envelope was already open, and inside was the card and a wad of cash. Her eyebrows drew together. “Mrs. Jones, what’s with this cash?”

  “Think of it as your graduation present. Since Mr. Jones and I couldn’t have kids, you became the daughter I never had. Who else am I going to give my millions to?” She laughs. “Oh, I almost forgot, there’s another package in the back for you. Can you reach it for me?”

  Maddy turned around, and there on the seat was a rectangular box with the word ‘Congratulations’ written all over it. When she went to pick it up, it was so heavy she had to use both hands. She turned back around and put the wrapped package on her lap.

  Maddy frowned. “Please tell me this isn’t for me, Mrs. Jones. You’ve given me enough.
”

  Mrs. Jones tutted. “Just open it.”

  Over the years, Maddy had learned there was no arguing with Mrs. Jones, so she tore open the gift wrap. This was the first present she’d ever received.

  When she pulled the paper aside, a brand-new laptop sat on her lap. She opened her mouth to object.

  “I don’t want to hear it,” Mrs. Jones interrupted. “You need it for school, and I expect an email at least once a month to know you’re all right.”

  As Maddy hugged her, the smell of Mrs. Jones’s perfume filled her nose. Tears welled up. “I’ll miss you so much. I don’t think I can express how grateful I am that you came into my life. I was in such a dark place when I met you. You gave me a purpose. Heading off to college with a full scholarship was all because of you.” Maggie sniffled.

  “I put you on the right path, you did the rest, my dear.” Mrs. Jones checked the clock. “You’d better go, or you’ll miss the bus.”

  Maddy gave Mrs. Jones one more hug and placed the computer in her duffle bag, putting clothes on top of it so it wouldn’t get damaged. Taking some money out of the envelope in case she needed it, she tucked it into her pocket, then hid the envelope alongside the laptop.

  With a final goodbye, she walked into the station. Her lip quivered, and she didn’t dare turn around, afraid she’d cry again.

  2

  Maddy

  “Next stop, ladies and gentlemen. Blue Ridge, Home of the State Champions Lockhaven Huskies. We should pull into town in about twenty minutes.”

  Twenty minutes. Putting one hand over her fast beating heart and the other across her churning stomach, Maddy willed them to calm down.

  All right, Maddy, you can handle this! Same shit different day, no difference. You can handle this. You’ve handled everything else that’s been thrown at you. You can handle this. As Mrs. Jones said, you are not the only one. There are thousands of kids starting out this year.

  Her little pep talk didn’t work, and she chewed every nail down to the quick.